HTC Vive Flow VR headset now available for pre-order

As leaked earlier, HTC VIVE today announced VIVE Flow, a compact, lightweight immersive glasses device that is designed with comfort and portability in mind.

The HTC VIVE Flow lets people find moments of calm and well-being for themselves throughout the day, including:

• Meditation 2.0 with apps like TRIPP, or taking a scenic, immersive drive down Route 66 with MyndVR’s original series: A Road to Remember
• Watching TV or movies on their own personal, cinema-sized VR screen
• Exercising their minds with brain training apps
• Collaborating and socializing with colleagues and friends on VIVE Sync

“With VIVE Flow, HTC is taking technology in a new direction, focusing not on what we do, but on how we feel. Maintaining our wellness has come to the forefront in the last few years, with so many millions feeling stressed every day, so it has never been more important to take time out to calm our minds, and VIVE Flow provides the perfect opportunity to escape our four walls and immerse ourselves in our ideal ambience,” said Cher Wang, Chairwoman and CEO of HTC. “Meditation, gentle stretches, brain training, streaming our favorite shows or even meeting friends or coworkers in VR with VIVE Sync can all be enhanced by a device light and compact enough to fit in our pocket. VIVE Flow represents the next evolution of technology, as we take a more holistic view of how we can make life better.”

“Relaxation means different things to different people,” said Nanea Reeves, CEO of leading XR wellness service TRIPP. “It’s important to find your own version of zen, whether that means meditating, watching videos, or playing games. The fact that HTC gets it, that we can use VR in these ways that can benefit peoples’ emotional and mental well-being is something that I personally am very excited about as is our entire team at TRIPP.”

With VIVE Flow, you can:

• Dive into a range of immersive experiences via the Viveport app store anytime, anywhere, using your Android smartphone as a controller.
• Connect wirelessly to your 5G Android smartphone and stream content like TV shows and films from your favourite platforms.
• Meet with colleagues and friends in realistic virtual environments via VIVE Sync.

Designed to fit into your life easily, VIVE Flow weighs just 189g. Its dual-hinge design and soft face gasket allow it to fold down into a compact footprint for effortless portability. VIVE Flow’s unique hinge is designed to fit many different head shapes and sizes. Its face gasket takes inspiration from the acclaimed VIVE Focus 3, with magnetic connections making it simple and quick to swap out – perfect for when you want to share. VIVE Flow also has built-in diopter dials, allowing users to easily make adjustments for crystal clear visuals. Its active cooling system pulls warm air away from your face, keeping you comfortable throughout the day.

It features an expansive 100-degree field of view that allows for cinematic screens to lose yourself in HD quality content, with a sharp 3.2K resolution and a smooth 75 Hz refresh rate. Featuring full 3D spatial audio, VIVE Flow delivers immersive sound and can also connect to external Bluetooth earphones.

Pricing, accessories, and availability

VIVE Flow has a matching carry case available for purchase, giving you peace of mind no matter where you go. A small but powerful 10,000mAh VIVE power bank can be purchased separately, providing extra battery life for long days.

HTC is also unveiling a special Viveport subscription plan following the launch of VIVE Flow. The plan is priced at USD $5.99 per month and gives people unlimited access to a wide range of immersive apps covering well-being, brain training, productivity, light gaming, and exclusive content like a Lo-Fi room designed to look and feel like a cozy café.

VIVE Flow retails for USD $499 / £499 / and starting from 549€. It will be available via www.vive.com/vive-flow, as well as retailers around the world. Pre-orders start on Oct 14 globally, and anyone pre-ordering will receive the official VIVE Flow carry case and a gift bundle of 7 pieces of content. Open sales begin in November 2021.